NBA Playoffs 2012 Predictions: Magic and Overrated Teams Destined for Failure
The NBA playoffs are won with defense and the ability to dominate in the half court, which means teams that excel in transition and don't defend well must adjust or they will fail in the postseason.
The ability to bear down and defend in high-pressure moments is crucial to your team's chances of making an NBA Finals appearance.
Let's look at three overrated teams destined to fail in the NBA playoffs and lose in the first round.
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic are a good team, but they rely too much on their three-point shooting. When they are not knocking down outside shots consistently, their offense is very weak.
The Magic also don't have enough quality perimeter defenders to guard the Eastern Conference's best scorers effectively.
Starting point guard Jameer Nelson is not capable of containing top East point guards such as Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics or Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls. Nelson is also not much of an offensive threat if he's not shooting well or being guarded aggressively.
Other than Dwight Howard at center, the Magic have very little offensive talent in the frontcourt. Howard is the only reliable inside scorer for the Magic.
With distractions surrounding head coach Stan Van Gundy and Howard, this team is destined for failure.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers have the fourth-best record in the Western Conference, but don't play enough defense to win in the playoffs.
Star forward Blake Griffin is great on the fast break and in an uptempo style of basketball, but his game isn't suited for the playoffs.
At the defensive end of the floor is where Griffin will struggle and he will get dominated by talented low-post scores throughout the playoffs.
Other than Caron Butler who didn't play in last year's NBA Finals because of an injury, the Clippers have nobody that has won a championship. Chauncey Billups has a ring, but he won't be back for the playoffs as he continues his recovery from an Achilles injury.
With little experience and defensive quality, don't expect the Clippers to make a deep playoff run.
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks have a lot of talent, but we have seen over the last few years that they lack the frontcourt depth to make a deep playoff run in the Eastern Conference.
Without Al Horford this season, the Hawks have not rebounded well and rank 23rd in the NBA in that category. Atlanta has no one at center who can play well defensively in the paint.
Point guard is also a major issue for the Hawks, who don't have anyone at that position capable of playing good defense. A first-round matchup with the Boston Celtics would be disastrous because Rondo would not be contained by Hawks point guards Kirk Hinrich and Jeff Teague.
The Hawks don't have enough quality big men to make it past the first round if they play Boston and even the Indiana Pacers would beat them in five or six games in Round 1.
